The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-04-06
MANUFACTURE or 1oOxaylcKa


There are. have been told, buk three
toothpick factories IL the United States.
One OF tliem Ia located at Belmont. Ale.
gany county, New FORK, Just on the edge
OF the Town and near the banks Of the
Genesee river.
Juggling over most factories one 10 gen.
orally Ushered 10 at the wrong end !; that
Is, where the completed work e ready for
shipment. This factory vas no excep-
tlon TO the rule, but Will take you Be.
low stairs first and re Will then work up
ward gradually.
The factory makes two articles Of
commerce, toothpicks, as already stated,
and allumettes, or Iampli0hters. 10
commence at fret principles.
We started In the basement. and After
exploring the engine room betook our
selves to where the woodwork was 81 its
hrst stages. We found In this second
room piles OF circular blocks OF wood
about sixteen inches In diameter BY per.
haps Ave Ia thickness. This wood wAs
"hard " and soft maple and pine.
These are put intoa revolving machine
which strips them of their bark. they
are then sent up to the first floor. Here
they are again put into another revolving
machine which cuts them into fine strips
which are then cut into the Fsquired
The picks are dropped out at one
side while the refuse falls from the other
into shaft and Is carried down 70 Che
basement and subsequently used FOR
firing Some are round, some square,
This little machine which makes them
appears simple enough to the uninitiated
but In reality Is quite complicated, con-
tanning. weare informed. several hundred
knives.
These small articles Of aftsr-dinner
service are then taken up to the second
story, where they are kept In q heated
room until sufficiently dry for packing.
Descending to the first ffoor-for we
have followed our miniature guide up
stairs and down--we enter room where
several girls and women aud two or three
boys are at work.
One girl we fnd stamping thin pasta-
board boxes with press and then fold
Ing these boxes by hand with rapidity
Impossible to 30 followed by the eye.
The experienced fingers grow very nlm-
On the other aide Of the room Girls
were sorting and arranging "picks ana
putting them In boxes. The work was
executed With an elertness only acquired
through long practice.
The plan OF arranging them In bundles
preparatory to boxing Is this: From the
large heap In front draw smaller guam.
tity, yet several times larger than the
proposed bundle. These little sticks lay
at skies and ssvens " "a confused Is the
most contrary pile Of jack s,raws. The
nrst motion Is 10 draw the pile toward
the worker, the second TO draw the
hands across the pile isterally and
carry of any offending sticks that law In
their way. and then closa In the pile a.
the third motion, aEnin scattering and
arranging. Relterating these uStions
with more or less variation soon brinra
order out Of chaos, and tbs pile grows
beautifully less IS compact, neat bundles
assume the desired shape and proper.
tion. They we're then quickly boxed ana
thrown aside ready FOR fhs market.
Az the manufacture Of the ailumetts
me WOOD was cut into long strips Of two
oinerent widths, four and half inches
Tor the narrower, and a. I remember
about eight inches for the vide, and .
thirty-sccond OF an inch In thickness.
These were then hung from hrsns IL
. drsi. room. and this siralyrd fit1bou4
like eiTec; OF TIE ruom was very rfotty.
Taey were afterward put t,y the quantity
into eating machine, attended by Z
10y, whence issued the useful allumette
really for buudling and boxing.
This factory 10 not only one OF the
sights OF Allegany county. but indeed
OF New York state, for. to the best Of
my belief, II IL the only one IN New York.
II Rochester Union.